Health & Fitness
COVID-19 Update: 128 Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Cornelius
Wear a mask when away from home and in situations where you can't socially distance, says Mecklenburg's public health director.
CORNELIUS, NC — At least 128 lab confirmed cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Cornelius Thursday, as the county's top health official made a public appeal to county residents to wear masks when they leave their homes.
"We should be wearing masks any time we are in a position where we cannot socially distance and we're outside of our houses," Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said Thursday. "So anytime you're outside, whether it's in a store or on the street, if you're within six feet of any individual, you should be wearing a mask."
Last week, Harris said the Charlotte metro region is projected to see "pretty significant increases" in COVID-19 cases by mid-August to early September.
Find out what's happening in Corneliusfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
As of June 18, North Carolina confirmed 1,333 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the state's tally to more than 48,000 cases. More than 16 percent of the state's cases stem from spread in Mecklenburg County, which has been the hardest hit of North Carolina's 100 counties.
In Cornelius, a current outbreak at Autumn Care nursing home is responsible for the infection of 43 residents and 24 staff members, as well as the death of 20 residents, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Find out what's happening in Corneliusfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Thursday, Mecklenburg County reported 7,804 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 130 deaths. That tally included 128 confirmed cases and 16 deaths in Cornelius, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
The high rate of spread has prompted state public health officials to surge testing and tracing resources to Mecklenburg County, as well as to Wake, Durham, Johnston, Alamance, Guilford, Forsyth, Lee and Duplin counties, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said.
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